2024, Term 3, Week 9 Newsletter

Acknowledgement of Country

Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Carers,

What a fun and busy week it has been! Our school has been buzzing with activities and excitement, even as we prepared for our upcoming school review. Thank you to everyone who offered their help and support; however, the review has been postponed. Stay tuned for the new date!

We kicked off the week with a special Message Stick liturgy to mark the 150th anniversary of our diocese. The Message Stick was passed to us from St. Patrick’s, Port Fairy. A huge thanks to Miss Lumsden and our talented Year 6 leaders for organising such a meaningful liturgy! On Friday, we continued the tradition by passing the Message Stick on to St. John’s, Dennington, ensuring its journey continues. Be sure to read further down for more details!

Yesterday, we acknowledged R U OK? Day. Our students enjoyed themed cookies made by Coco Lane Cookies and a special treat from Jess Morris. A big thank you to Caitlin O'Grady for the delicious cookies and to Jess Morris for both the treats and the fun classroom activities. It’s so important to build a culture of wellbeing and to remember to ask, "Are you ok?" every day, checking in with friends and family.

Looking ahead, next week will be busy! Miss Lumsden, Arwen, Seamus, and I are heading off to Year 5/6 camp at Roses Gap—what an adventure that will be! On Thursday, our P&F has organised a Sports Colours and Hot Dog Day, and Friday marks the last day of Term 3, with a 2:30 finish.

A reminder that, starting from Term 4, our weekly newsletter will be sent out on Mondays. This change is intended to keep you better informed at the beginning of each week.

Correct St Patrick’s uniform reminder - hats will be needed in term 4!

Summer Uniform (October - April) 

Tops

Green check dress 
Green polo shirt with logo
School jumper

Bottoms

Activewear short or skort
Grey emblemed Shorts

Accessories

School hat
Black socks
Plain black shoes (coloured runners can be worn on Wednesdays only)

Winter Uniform (May - September) 

Tops

School Jumper
Check Tunic
Green Polo Shirt with logo

Bottoms

Black tracksuit pants with logo
Grey emblemed trousers

Accessories

School Hat
Black tights
Black socks
Plain black shoes

Wednesday sports uniform

Coloured House Polo Shirt with selection of Activewear (black logo trackies, black logo skort or shorts)
School Jumper

• Coloured runners are to be worn for sports uniform only. 
• All black runners are acceptable as school shoes

Uniform can be purchased via directware.com.au. (Coloured house polo, hats, beanies and backpacks purchased via CDFPay).

Dion Jansz M:0412 654 406

dion@directware.com.au

A message from Danielle

This weekend Hunter Erwin and other students from South West Coast Performing Arts will be hitting the streets of Warrnambool to busk as part of this weekends Triple J weekend fling.
We will be positioned on Liebig street out the front of Seal/Hecho en Mexico. Hunter and other students will be performing during the hours of 12:30pm - 2pm.
We would love to see students and families come along and encourage our budding young talent!

Coming up:

Week 10

Monday 16th - Wednesday 18th September - Year 5/6 Camp to Roses Gap
Monday 16th - Gymnastics (G2-4), Airport Visit (G2)
Thursday 19th September - Footy Colours & Hot Dog Day
Thursday 19th September - Gymnastics (G1/2 - Permission form to follow)
Friday 20th September - End of Term 3, 2.30 finish

Have a safe and enjoyable weekend, everyone!

Kind regards,

Tegan McDonald 

Principal

Message Stick

Our week began with a liturgy to celebrate having one of the message sticks at school community.

From the Murray to the Sea, we gather on holy ground.
We gather on this ancient land, a precious gift from God.

We rejoice in every noble aspiration.
We rejoice in the pursuit of fullness of life for all.

We pain in the ongoing struggle of First Nations Peoples,
Who were displaced of land, country, language and culture. 

We believe in God’s compassion.
We believe in resurrection, in mutual uplifting.
We believe in God’s steadfast love.

The sending out and bringing together of Message Sticks is a ritual that is millennia old.

Symbols of connection;
Then symbols of disconnect;
Then connection again.

The ritual of the Message Stick  is equally important to First Nations Peoples today.

We still bring them together; And we still send them out.

In the same way, all of us from St Patrick’s School are sent forth as messengers of love to share the Word of God.

HeapsART Everyday - Pop Up Shop

There are still some items available from the Pop Up Shop with all proceeds going to St Vinnies.  Call in to view products in the display space and make purchases from the office.

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School TV - Wellbeing Resources

SPECIAL REPORT: R U OK?Day

Understanding the growing challenges related to mental health among young people is an important consideration. Anxiety, depression and self-harm - are all causes for concern. Factors like academic pressure, social media, family dynamics, and societal expectations, are contributing to these issues. It's therefore crucial for parents and caregivers to take action early, remove the stigma around discussing mental health, and offer accessible support to address these issues and the wellbeing of their children.

R U OK?Day is an initiative that focuses on preventing suicide by encouraging meaningful personal connections and helping informal support networks to help recognise the signs of distress. We urge all families to take part, emphasising the value of genuine human relationships and reminding everyone to ask the important question, "Are you OK?"

Engaging in R U OK?Day activities goes beyond the classroom; it's a commitment to our students' overall development. By talking openly about mental health, schools create safe spaces where students feel understood, valued, and supported. As parents and caregivers, you can contribute by fostering open conversations, normalising feelings and breaking down mental health stigmas. Participating in R U OK?Day promotes compassion and shows our dedication to the wellbeing of the entire school community, reaffirming that together, we can truly make a difference.

This Special Report provides guidance on how to talk to your child about mental health and engage in meaningful discussions.

RUOK? Day Special Report

There are resources available for a range of topics through the School TV website.  You can access it by clicking the above link and use the search function to find the topic you are looking for.  There is also a School TV link under the "Parents and Community".

Shona Louden

Wellbeing Leader

Knitting/Crochet Supplies

We have some students interested in knitting and crochet - if you have any supplies surplus to your requirements, we would welcome them at school.

Whooping Cough

The incidence of Whooping cough cases is continuing to increase across Victoria, particularly among school-aged children.

Whooping cough is a very contagious infection, mostly spread through coughing or sneezing. 

Symptoms include:

• blocked or runny nose
• tiredness
• mild fever
• severe bouts of coughing, often followed by a ‘whooping’ sound on breathing.

Whooping cough can lead to life-threatening infections in babies.

If your child is unwell, they should not attend school. Please see a doctor if you or your child develops whooping cough symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment will help reduce the spread of the infection.

Students diagnosed with whooping cough must not attend school

If your child is diagnosed with whooping cough, they must not attend school for 21 days after the onset of the cough, or until they have received 5 days of antibiotic treatment.

You must notify the school if your child is diagnosed with whooping cough.

To further reduce the spread of infection to your child and the school community, the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019 require that some students who were in the same classroom as a student diagnosed with whooping cough should not attend school.

Your child should not attend school for 14 days after they were last exposed to a person diagnosed with whooping cough, or until they have taken 5 days of a course of antibiotic treatment if they are:

• aged less than 7 years; and
• not fully vaccinated with 3 doses of whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine.

This exclusion is required by law – refer to the School exclusion table for primary schools and children’s services.

If your child is diagnosed with whooping cough, please contact the school to let us know.

Your support in keeping our students safe and well is greatly appreciated.

For more information about whooping cough, refer to Whooping cough on the Better Health Channel.

Vaccination is the best way to reduce the risk of whooping cough. The Department of Health recommends staying up to date with immunisations, including booster doses. A free booster dose of the pertussis vaccine is covered under the national immunisation program for students aged 12 to 13. If you are unsure about your child’s vaccination status for whooping cough, please discuss with an immunisation provider, such as your doctor.

Catholic School Parents Survey

Catholic School Parents Australia (CSPA) is running a parent survey in partnership with the University of New England on Student Wellbeing and Learning and are seeking your perspective as parents/carers of children who attend a Catholic School in Australia.

You are invited to share your views on existing and emerging affirmations and/or challenges in relation to your child/children’s wellbeing and learning.

The survey is anonymous, confidential, and completely voluntary.    

For more information about the study and to participate go here.

NCCD Parent Information Sheet

Over the coming weeks at St Patrick's classroom teachers are holding Program Support (PSG) Meetings for students who are a part of the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) count in August of each year. If your child is a part of these meetings I will have contacted you via email or phone. 

I have attached a parent information sheet below for you to read about this process. 

Bridget Van Den Broek,
Learning Diversity Leader

Lost Property & Second Hand Uniform

With the onset of colder weather, you may have noticed you are missing a school jumper (or two!). Please take a look in the lost property basket to find your lost items. 

If you could please remember also to label your uniform items so your uniforms don't end up here!

Second Hand Uniform

Please speak to Becc Sanderson 0423 956 556 if you wish to purchase or donate some preloved items of uniform.

Beanies

Keep your head warm in winter! School Beanies are available for $15 on CDF Pay.

Parents & Friends

Catering

If you are able to help with supplying food or serving at future events, please indicate on the form below and we will be in touch when we have events scheduled.  If the date/time does not suit you, you do not have to commit to helping when you are contacted.

Catering Support Form

Assembly Roster

Parents, siblings, Grandparents and friends are all welcome to join us for our assembly - held on nominated weeks in the school hall from 2.45pm - any late changes will be notified via ClassDojo.

Volunteer Levy

There are many opportunities at school to claim off your volunteer levy.

As you would imagine, there are lots of jobs that need to be done at a school.  Between classroom responsibilites and duties during most breaks, there are many things that staff don't get the opportunity to do. In times gone by, some of these would be done at working bees.  In recent years, we have not had great success in attracting families to working bees as times do not always suit. 

If you see a job that needs to be done, that you are happy to take on, we would love your help and can arrange for the credit to your volunteer levy.

Some suggestions - Canteen deep clean, library tidying, lost property sorting.  This list is just a start.

Casserole Bank

The St Pat's community has a wonderful tradition of the "Casserole Bank" where families come together to provide a meal or snacks/lunchbox items for families within our school who are in need of support (for example, a new arrival, family illness or bereavement).

This year, the Casserole Bank will be coordinated through the school office.  If you are aware of a family requiring support, please contact the office.

If you are willing to help out during the year, please register your name details on the google form below & we will reach out when the need arises.  The more volunteers we have, the fewer times people will be called upon to help out.

Canteen & Cake Raffle Rosters

Thanks to those who have already signed up for the Canteen & Cake Raffle Rosters. We now have a new Canteen Sign Up Sheet available for Term 3.  We appreciate everyone's help with Canteen - without your assistance, it can not run. 

Virginia Martin co-ordinates the canteen, arranging for the stocking of snack items and is happy to take questions from prospective volunteers  - 0419 883 657. 

Canteen Sign Up Sheet - volunteersignup.org/ACK7W

Cake Raffle Sign Up Sheet - volunteersignup.org/PTFPM

CANTEEN ROSTER

CAKE RAFFLE ROSTER

Foster Care Week

MacKillop Family Services is calling on communities of the South-West to understand the need for local foster carers and highlighting the positive impact foster carers make to children’s lives.

8-14 September is Foster Care Week, when MacKillop celebrates the work foster carers do for children temporarily unable to live at home.

People like Rachael and Matthew Buck, who have provided respite and emergency care to over 100 children and young people.

See their story here: www.mackillop.org.au/theirstory and visit www.mackillop.org.au/fostercare for more information.

Happy Birthday

Again, a week with no student or staff birthdays. Happy Birthday to anyone in the extended St Pat's community celebrating their birthday this week. We hope you have a fantastic time celebrating with family and friends!

Star Of the Sea Parish Bulletin & website information

Directwear Uniform

School Uniform is available from Directwear www.directwear.com.au  

Uniforms can be collected from the Directwear home address in Warrnambool or posted to you.

Contact details for Direct wear are:

email info@directwear.com.au or phone Dion Jansz: 0412 654 406

Sports Polo Shirts

The School Sports Polo shirts are purchased through the school via CDF Pay.

There has been an increase in the price of sports shirts to $50 - this is cost price from our supplier.

Dates to Remember

Please refer to the public calendar on the school website for the most up to date calendar items.

https://www.spkoroit.catholic.edu.au/news-events

Community News